Pack provided with an antenna extension for electronic card and method for the assembling of the pack

ABSTRACT

Pack provided with an antenna extension for electronic cards, the antenna extension module being made of plastic materials and fixedly joined to an external shielding of this electronic card by a device comprising two arms irreversibly held on at least one of the shielding shells of the pack. The two shielding shells are then irreversibly joined together by means of projecting blades and notches of the borders of these shells, force-fitted to each other. This pack is preferably designed to receive a PCMCIA type card.

This application claims the benefit of the earlier filed InternationalApplication No. PCT/EP01/09337, International Filing Date, Jul. 18,2001, which designated the United States of America, and whichinternational application was published under PCT Article 21(2) as WOPublication No. WO 02/07489 A1.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

An object of the present invention is a pack provided with an antennaextension for electronic cards. An object of the invention is also amethod for the assembling of such a pack. It can be used moreparticularly in the field of packs designed to contain cards meeting thecriteria fixed by the PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory CardInternational Association) standard. Electronic cards of this kind arewidely used, especially to add memory capacities and/or functions to acomputer and more particularly to portable computers. These cards arepresent in packs provided with a connector at their front end. This endmeets precise dimensional criteria.

2. Brief Description of Related Developments

In the prior art, it is sought, by means of such cards, to provide for aplurality of additional functions. In general, to combine severalfunctions within a card of this kind, it is necessary, given the strictcriteria imposed on card formats and pack formats, to connect anextension module to a rear part of the pack. The value of the inventionis that it proposes a single-block pack complying with PCMCIA standards,and comprising both a shielded pack and an unshielded antenna extension.

In the prior art, there is a known electronic card provided with a pack.The pack has two metal shells positioned on either side of the card anddirectly fixed to each other without the use of a mounting frame. Inparticular, the document WO 98/20451 teaches the use of a packcomprising shells such that these shells have a front end to present aconnector and two borders perpendicular at this front end. The bordersof the shells have shoulders, the shoulder corresponding to anapproximately 90° fold of one plane of the metal shell. These shouldersfurthermore have projecting blades and complementary notches for theseblades. The shells are designed in such a way that the planes of the twoshells are positioned in parallel and a notch of a shoulder of a firstshell is positioned facing a projecting shoulder of the second shell.The projecting blades get fitted into the notches irreversibly becausethe non-return devices of the blades abut the edges of the notches.

The card mounted between the two metal shells is then shieldedirreversibly. However, when an RF application is desired, it isnecessary that an antenna extension should not be contained betweenthese two shielded shells. To this end, the prior art, especially thedocument WO-A-99/14993, teaches the assembly of a second unshielded packon the first pack. To this end, the second pack has a specific connectorto be connected to a complementary connector presented at the level of arear end of the first pack. Indeed, since the front end and the bordersperpendicular to this first end have to comply with the PCMCIA cardstandards, the complementary connector can only be placed at the rearend.

This prior art approach is costly because it requires the positioning ofa set of two complementary connectors to provide for a link between thefirst pack and the second pack used as an antenna extension module.Furthermore, this approach makes it necessary to provide for means tohold this second pack on the first pack of the electronic card, toprevent disconnection. Therefore, this system is cumbersome.

The teaching of the document U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,149 describes a knownpack for electronic cards provided with an antenna extension. Thisantenna extension is connected by a flexible printed circuit to theelectronic card of the pack. The antenna extension module, according tothis teaching, is connected to a first section by a hinge. This hingelets through the printed circuit. The hinge places the extension modulein variable positions with respect to the first section. For example theextension module may be positioned at 90° with respect to the firstpack.

The use of a hinged system of this kind to connect an extension moduleis fragile. Indeed, there is a risk that the flexible printed circuitcontained in this hinge may be damaged by being gripped. Furthermore,there is the risk that clumsy handing of the antenna extension withrespect to the first pack might quite simply break this hinge.

The document U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,074 describes a known first packcomprising an electronic card having, at a first end, a connector thatmeets PCMCIA criteria and, at a second end opposite this first end, asecond connector to be connected with a complementary connector of anextension module, for example an antenna extension module. Thisextension module has means of latching on to the pack and the latchingmeans are designed to be inserted into the pack when it is totallyclosed. Indeed, the module according to the device is designed so thatit can be detachably mounted. The means designed on either side of thecomplementary connector are therefore force-fitted into recessesdesigned for this purpose on the pack. This force-fitting corresponds tothe fitting-in of a ridge into a channel or vice versa.

This last-named solution of the prior art raises a problem. It is costlybecause it requires the positioning of two complementary connectors tolink the first pack to the extension module. Secondly, this approachdoes not provide for a solid and sure connection. When the PCMCIA packis inserted, for example, into the connection port of a computer, thenthe way to withdraw the card is to pull on the rear end of the pack. Inthe present case, the tensile force is therefore exerted on theextension module. If the extension module is not solidly held, which isthe case in the prior art, there is a risk that the exertion of thetensile force will cause the release of extension module of the pack andnot the disconnection of this pack from the port of the computer.

The prior art solutions are fragile and costly, firstly because theyrequire high precision means to set up a suitable connection between theextension module and the pack containing the electronic card. Secondly,these approaches generally lead to proposing an extension module with athickness greater than that of the pack containing the electronic card.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the problems cited byproposing a pack containing an electronic card provided with anextension module such that the extension module is fixedly joined to thepack containing the electronic card, this extension module forming anintegral part of the pack when it is closed. Indeed, the solution of theinvention provides for the association, before the mounting of theelectronic card in the pack, of the shielded shells of the pack withprotective shells of the extension module. The electronic card is thenmounted so as to be sandwiched between these two combined shells thusobtained. Indeed, the invention consists of a pack provided with ashielded lower shell on which a lower extension lid is mounted and,secondly, an upper shielded shell that is itself designed to beconnected to an upper extension lid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

During the assembly, the upper extension lid is designed to bepositioned so as to face the lower extension lid. The mounting of a lidon a shell is irreversible just as the joining of the two shells is alsoirreversible. There is therefore no longer any need for a connectorbetween the module card and the extension module.

The mounting of the lower plastic lid on the lower shielded shell isachieved by fitting in along a direction orthogonal to a plane ofextension of the shielded shell. To this end, when the electronic cardis inserted in the lower shielded shell and when the upper shielded ismounted irreversibly in the lower shielded shell, then the extensionlids are themselves held irreversibly to the pack. A tensile forceexerted on the rear end in no way detaches the plastic lids from theshielded shell. Indeed, elastic tongues positioned on at least oneshoulder of a shielded shell abut the lateral projections on either sideof at least one of these plastic lids.

In a preferred example, the electronic card comprises a portionextending between the two extension lids. Then, the extension module isconstituted by this portion of the electronic card. A particular use ofthe invention is to propose an antenna extension module comprising lidsmade of plastic materials permitting the passage of RF waves while theshielded shell protects the card from the electromagnetic fields.

An object of the invention is a pack comprising a lower shielded shell,an upper shielded shell and an electronic card positioned between theshielded shells, the shielded shell being provided with projectingblades and notches, the notches of a first shell being designed toreceive respectively the blades of a second shell, characterised in thatit comprises an extension module of the card and extension lidspositioned on either side of the extension module, an extension lidcomprising two arms held in a shielded shell, one of the two arms beinginserted perpendicularly into a plane of this shell and mounted parallelto this plane.

An object of the invention is a method for the assembling of a packcomprising the following steps:

a lower extension lid is mounted on a lower shielded shell by insertingarms of this lid into means of this lower shielded shell in such a waythat the arms are driven perpendicularly into the bottom of the shell inthe means;

an electronic card is fixed in the lower shell;

an upper extension lid is connected with the lower extension lid in sucha way that an extension module of the card is positioned between the twolids;

an upper shielded shell is mounted above the lower shielded shell insuch a way that notches and projecting blades of the borders of thelower shell are irreversibly joined, respectively, with projectingblades and notches of the borders facing the upper shell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be understood more clearly from the followingdescription and the appended figures. These figures are given purely byway of an indication and in no way restrict the scope of the invention.Of these figures:

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a pack provided with an antennaextension for an electronic card according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a view in perspective of a shielded shell of a packaccording to the invention;

FIG. 3a shows an enlargement of a perspective view of a portion of FIG.2;

FIG. 3b shows a sectional view of a portion of FIG. 3a along a sectionalplane P shown in FIG. 3a;

FIG. 3c shows a top view of the portion shown in FIG. 3a;

FIG. 4 shows an enlargement of a view in perspective of a second portionof FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows a view in perspective of an extension lid of a packaccording to the invention;

FIG. 6 shows a view in profile of a portion of the lid shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

FIG. 1 shows a pack 1 according to the invention. The pack 1 has anelectronic card 2. The electronic card 2 has a flat and rigid substrate.The card 2 forms a plane 3, one level of which has electronic components4 and conductive tracks connecting the components 4 to one another. Theelectronic card 2 is preferably a PCMCIA card. To this end, the card 2complies with the conditions of width and thickness at least in a frontpart 5. At the level of this front part 5, the card 2 has a front face 6designed to be connected with a connector 7. The connector 7 is aninterface used to connect the card 2 to a complementary connector of theconnector 7. For example, this complementary connector is on a computer.

The pack 1 has a lower shielded shell 8 and an upper shielded shell 9.Together, these shells 8 and 9 are designed to form a hermeticallysealed pack around the card 2 and preferably around the front portion 5of this card 2. A plane 10 formed by the lower shielded pack ispositioned in parallel to the plane 3 against a lower face 11 of thiscard 2. Similarly, the upper shielded shell 9 forms a plane 12 such thatthe upper shell 9 is positioned against an upper face 13 of the card 2in such a way that the plane 12 is parallel to the plane 3 and the plane10.

The lower shielded shell 8 has a front face 14 and, respectively, theupper shell 9 has a front face 15 such that, when the shells areassembled, a recess is formed between these two shells. This shell isused to present at least one contact pin of the connector 7.

In a preferred embodiment, the lower shielded shell 8 and the uppershielded shell 9 are identical moldings of a metal plate, for examplemade of stainless steel. This plate for example is 0.2 mm thick.

The pack 1 also has an extension module 16. This extension module 16 ispreferably an antenna extension module. The extension module 16 has alower extension lid 17 and an upper extension lid 18. The lowerextension lid 17 is designed to be mounted on the lower shell 8 in adirection of assembly 19. This direction of assembly 19 is onlyorthogonal to the plane 10 (the precise mounting is describedhereinafter). The lower extension lid 17 is mounted on the lower shell 8before the card 2 is placed in this lower shell 8. The upper lid 17 hastwo arms 20 and 21 held in the lower shell 8. A portion 22 of the lowershell 17 extends in the prolongation of the lower shell 8 in parallel tothe plane 10.

The lower shell 8 has a flexure 23 oriented perpendicularly to the plane10 designed to be inserted in a complementary relief of the portion 22.

The lower shell 8 joined to the lower lid 17 may possibly receive areinforcement plate 24 positioned in parallel to the plane 10 in such away that the card 2 mounted in the lower shell 8 is not directly incontact with this shell 8. Indeed, the reinforcement plate 24 ispreferably made of plastic to protect the card 2 from possible shortcircuits. Secondly, this reinforcement plate 24 is used to strengthenthe structure of the lower shielded shell 8 which has a small thicknessand may therefore be subjected to curvatures.

When the card 2 is thus mounted, it is also possible to plan for asecond reinforcement plate 25 to be mounted against the upper face 13 ofthe card 2. This reinforcement plate 25 also protects the card 2 fromshort circuits with the upper shielded shell 9.

However, before mounting the upper shielded shell 9 irreversibly withthe lower shielded shell 8, the upper lid 18 is mounted on the lower lid17. For example, pins going beyond the upper lid 18 are pressed into theapertures 26 on a bottom 27 of the portion 22. The upper lid 18 isforce-fitted on the portion 22 of the lower lid 17. In a preferredexample, the upper lid 18 has no arms facing the arms 20 and 21.

In the context of the use of the extension module 16 for an antennaextension, the lids 17 and 18 are made of plastic. An antenna may bepositioned between these two lids and then connected to the card 2. Inone variant, as shown in FIG. 1, the antenna may be directly placed on azone 28 of the card 2, this zone 28 being positioned between the lids 17and 18 while the card 2 is positioned between the shielded shells 8 and9.

To finish the mounting of the pack 1 according to the invention, theupper shell 9 is mounted facing the lower shell 8 in such a way that aflexure 29, such as 23, of the upper shell 9 gets fitted into acomplementary relief 30 of the upper lid 18.

Furthermore, the lower shell 8 has blades 31 and notches 32 positionedon the borders 33 and 34 of this lower shell 8, these borders 33 and 34being perpendicular to the front face 14 and the rear flexure 23.Similarly, the upper shielded shell 9 has a first border 35 to bepositioned facing the border 33 and a second border 36 to be positionedfacing the border 34.

In a preferred embodiment, where the upper shielded shell 9 is identicalto the lower shielded shell 8, the first border 35 corresponds to theborder 34 and the second border 36 corresponds to the border 33. Hence,the upper shell 9 also has projecting blades and notches, these bladesand notches being positioned in such a way that a projecting blade ofthe upper shell 9 is positioned so as to be facing a notch of the lowershell 8 and conversely a notch of the upper shell 9 is positioned so asto be facing a projecting blade of the lower shell 8.

FIG. 2 shows a preferred exemplary embodiment of a lower shielded shell8. This shell is identical to the upper shielded shell 9 with which ithas to be connected. In this example, the border 34 has only projectingblades such as 31 and the border 33 has only notches such as 32. On oneand the same shell, each notch 32 of the border 33 is presented so as tobe facing a projecting blade 31 of the border 34. The borders aredesigned in such a way that, on a sufficient length, notches 32 andblades 31 respectively are spaced out periodically for example atintervals of 3 mm. In this example, the borders have eight notches 32and eight blades 31 respectively.

The borders 33 and 34 are designed in the same way and have a flexure37. This flexure 37 is perpendicular to the plane 10. The flexure 37also has an turn-up 38 oriented towards the interior of the shellparallel to the plane 10. The flexure 37 has a thickness 39.

Notches such as 32 are defined in the plane formed for the turn-up 38.They correspond to a cut in this turn-up 38. However, the projectingblades 31 correspond to a pre-cut pattern in the turn-up 38. Thispattern is prepared perpendicularly to the turn-up 38. The projectingblades 31 are therefore perpendicular to the plane 10 and orientedtowards the upper shell 9 to be connected with the lower shell 8. Theseprojecting blades 31 have a height lower than or equal to the thickness39 of the flexure 37.

FIG. 3a shows a notch 32 corresponding to a dip in the turn-up 38 at aninner edge 40 of this turn-up 38 such that the notch 32 has a widthgreater than an aperture at the edge 40. Indeed, the notch 32 isdemarcated by strips 41 and 42 of the edge 40 on either side of thenotch 32. The turn-up 38 is designed in such a way that the strip 42 ofa first notch is joined, along a structure positioned in the extensionof the edge 40, to a strip 41 of a following notch 32.

A projecting blade 31 has a shape designed to be inserted by force intoa notch 32. Furthermore, the blade 31 has an elastic tongue 44 designedto work together with a border 45 of the flexure 32. This border 45 isdemarcated between the strips 41 and 42. These strips 41 and 42 arepositioned on a lower side of the shell facing the projecting blade 31while the border 45 is positioned on an external side of the shellfacing this blade.

A first arm 21 of the lower lid 17 is designed to be mounted in theborder 34. To this end, the arm 21 has an external ridge 46 designed tobe positioned beneath the turn-up 38 of the border 34. In a preferredexample, the arm 21 has two ridges such as 46 spaced out with respect toone another and located in the same plane. Secondly, this arm 21 has aledge 47 positioned orthogonally to the ridge 46. The ledge 47 isdesigned to be held by a flexure 48 of the turn-up 38 of the border 34.The cooperation of the ridge 46 and the ledge 47 with the turn-up 38 ofthe border 34 enable a unique positioning of this arm 21 in the border34. Preferably, this arm 21 is inserted obliquely into this border 34.

Then, the second arm 20 of the lower lid 17 is lowered towards theborder 33 of the lower shielded shell 8. The arm 20 has a pin 49 suchthat this pin 49 is designed to be blocked between a strip 42 of a firstnotch 32 and a strip 41 of a following notch 32. Indeed, as shown inFIGS. 3a, 3 b, and 3 c, the portion between a strip 42 of this kind anda next strip 41 comprises an elastic tongue 50 and does not have an edgein the extension of the edge of the strips, as is the case for the zonesof the border 33 which are not designed to receive the arm 20. Thiselastic tongue 50 is oriented in a direction generally opposite thedirection pointing to a rear part 51 of the lower shielded shell 8.Thus, the elastic tongue 50 is used to hold the arm 20 in the border 33of the lower shell 8.

This elastic tongue 50 holds the pin 49. Indeed, this pin 49 has alateral flexure 52 to work together with the elastic tongue 50. Thislateral flexure 52 has a width 53 with respect to a flank 54 of the pin49. This width 53 is preferably in the range of 0.2 mm. In the preferredexample, the elastic tongue 50 forms an angle 51 with an upper surface52 of the turn-up 38. This angle 51 is preferably about 75°.

Once the pin 49 is inserted into the aperture formed by the strips 41and 42 and once the lateral flexure 52 has been held by the elastictongue 50, the arm 20 is mounted and irreversibly clipped into theborder 33. Thus, the lower extension lid 17 is mounted as describedirreversibly on the lower shielded shell 8. Its dismantling isdestructive and thus provides for the solidity and irreversibility ofthe connection of the extension module 16 with the pack formed by theshells 8 and 9.

In one variant, external walls of the extension lids 17 and 18 belongrespectively to the planes 10 and 12 of the external faces of the lowershell 8 and the upper shell 9 respectively.

Furthermore, in another example, the pack 1 will comprise, as shown inFIG. 1, a reinforcing bar 55 to reinforce and ensure the holding ofprojecting blades 31. This bar 55 prevents the projecting blades 231from being crushed or from crushing each other when the blades 31 arefitted into the notches 32.

What is claimed is:
 1. A pack (1) comprising a lower shielded shell (8),an upper shielded shell (9) and an electronic card (2) positionedbetween the shielded shells, the shielded shell being provided withprojecting blades (31) and notches (32), the notches of a first shellbeing designed to receive respectively the blades of a second shell,characterized in that the pack includes an extension module (16) of thecard and extension lids (17, 18) positioned on either side of theextension module, an extension lid comprising two arms (20, 21) held ina shielded shell, one of the two arms being inserted perpendicularlyinto a plane of this shell and mounted parallel to this plane.
 2. Thepack according to the claim 1, characterized in that a first arm (21)comprises a ridge (46) caught beneath a channel (38) of a first side(34) of the lower shielded shell.
 3. The pack according to the claim 2,characterized in that the channel is surmounted by projecting blades andin that this first side preferably has only projecting blades.
 4. Thepack according to claim 1, characterized in that the first arm has aledge orthogonal (47) to the ridge, the ledge getting fitted into arecess (48) of the first side.
 5. The pack according to claim 1,characterized in that a second arm (20) has a pin (49) provided with alateral flexure (52), the pin being introduced into an aperture (41, 42)of a second side (33) of the pack, and the lateral flexure workingtogether with an elastic tongue (50) of this aperture.
 6. The packaccording to the claim 5 characterized in that the second sidepreferably has only notches, and the aperture is made in a part of anotch.
 7. The pack according to claim 1, characterized in that theextension module is designed to receive an antenna, and in that theextension lids are made of plastic.
 8. The pack according to claim 1,characterized in that the extension module corresponds to a zone (28) ofthe electronic card.
 9. A method for the assembling of a pack (1)according to claim 1, comprising the following steps: a lower extensionlid (17) is mounted on a lower shielded shell (8) by inserting arms (20,21) of this lid into means (38, 48, 50) of this lower shielded shell, insuch a way that the arms are driven perpendicularly into the bottom ofthe shell in the means; an electronic card (2) is fixed in the lowershell; an upper extension lid (18) is connected with the lower extensionlid in such a way that an extension module (16) of the card ispositioned between the two lids; an upper shielded shell (9) is mountedabove the lower shielded shell in such a way that notches (32) andprojecting blades (31) of the borders (33, 34) of the lower shell areirreversibly joined, respectively, with projecting blades and notches ofthe borders facing the upper shell.
 10. The method according to claim 9characterized in that: a ridge (46) of a first arm (21) of the lowerextension lid is slid beneath a channel of a first side (34) of thelower shielded shell; a second arm (20) of this lid is made to descendinto an aperture positioned on a second side (33) of this shell; the lidis placed in the shell in such a way that a lateral flexure (52) of apin of the second arm is held by an elastic tongue (50) of the aperture.11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that areinforcing plate (24, 25) is positioned between each face (11, 13) ofthe electronic card and each of the shielded shells respectively. 12.The method according to claim 9, characterized in that reinforcing bars(55) are placed on the projecting blades of the borders of the shieldedshells before their assembly.